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Archive | February 2013

from the Extended Mahāvaṁsa, XIX. The Journey of the Great Bodhi Tree
ExtMhv 38-51 = Mhv. 23-31

Receiving the Bodhi Tree(Mural at Wat Pho, Bangkok)

King Devānampiyatissa, who delighted in the benefit of the world, had heard from the novice Sumana about the day of the arrival of the Bodhi Tree, and from the first day that began the month of Maggasira he decorated the highway from the north gate as far as Jambukola with silver leaves of cloth strewn like sand that had been sprinkled all round on the highway.

From the day the King went out from the city he waited at the grounds of the reception-hall by the ocean, and there the Lord of the Earth, through the psychic power of the Great Elder Nun, saw the Great Bodhi Tree coming in the middle of the great ocean, decked out in all its splendour, and by the power of Mahinda, he drew as though close to it.

Gotami Vihara celebrated International Bhikkhuni Day on a quiet but meaningful way with about forty people attending on 23 Sept, 2012. The Day was to honour prominent bhikkhunis in their unique achievements and contribution in preserving and propagating the Dhamma and upholding the Fourfold Assembly. The Day was also to remember and recognise those who went through great odds and sacrifice for the right to become a bhikkhuni.

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from the Extended Mahāvaṁsa, XIX. The Journey of the Great Bodhi Tree
ExtMhv 1-37 cf. Mhv 1-22

The Nuns Set Sail(Mural at Wat Pho, Bangkok)

In order to protect the Great Bodhi Tree, the Best of Charioteers appointed eighteen from royal families, and eight from ministerial families, eight from brahminical families, eight from merchants’ families, and from the foremost and faithful cow-herders families, the sparrow weavers, 1 the potters families, the hyena families, eight of each were also appointed.

He sent Nāgas and Yakkhas together with their assembly and sprinkled it with water brought for the purpose day by day and gave eight gold and eight silver water-pots, as was desired. Then taking the Great Bodhi Tree and worshipping it in various ways, he said: “In whatever way you like go from city to city.”

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Saranaloka is a nonprofit stewardship organization that was started in 2005 by a group of lay practitioners for the purpose of bringing nuns to the United States to visit, teach and establish a training monastery for women.

The video is a story of developing a place of respect and opportunity for the nuns that is often only available to monks.

On the first day of the bright half of the month Kattikā the Guardian of the World Asoka placed a branch of the Great Bodhi to the east of the root of a lovely great Sāla tree, and worshipping it day by day, on the seventeenth day new shoots starting taking hold and arose on the trunk of the delightful Bodhi Tree.

Seeing that the Lord of the World, his mind faithful and satisfied, with his ten fingers raised in reverential salutation to his head, said: “I give it sovereignty over the whole of the Rose-Apple Island,” and the Lord of the World consecrated the Great Bodhi Tree with sovereignty.

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from the Extended Mahāvaṁsa, Chapter XV. The Acceptance of the Great Monastery
ExtMhv 1-32 cf. Mhv. 1-18

Mahinda and Arittha(Mural at Wat Pho, Bangkok)

In order to bring the Great Bodhi Tree and the Elder Nun, the Lord of the World, remembering the statement spoken by the Elder, on a certain day in the Rainy Season, while sitting in his own city near the Elder, consulted his ministers and urged his nephew, the minister called Ariṭṭha, to undertake these deeds.

After considering it and inviting him, he uttered this statement: “Dear, after going into the presence of King Dhammāsoka will you be able 1 to bring the Elder Nun Saṅghamittā and the Great Bodhi Tree here?”